A Bellinghamster On Wheels

Tag Archives: Bellingham Theater Guild

Its been a busy couple of weeks. I started volunteering at The Bellingham Theater Guild—the longest running all volunteer community theater west of the Mississippi, celebrating its 85th birthday this year–building sets and more recently, training to work lights and sound. I’ve been at the theater almost every night, coming home late and tired but eager to do the same thing the following night. I don’t think an adjective exists that can adequately express just how much I love working at the theater. I have never done anything like this in my life.

I’ve always loved attending the theater but other than being a member of the audience, I had no experience whatsoever. I mean zippo, nada, bupkis! When I showed up to pound nails all I had was an eagerness to learn and work hard. With patience and enthusiasm, the talented, dedicated folks at the Guild from the set builders, lighting guru, set designer even the director and actors are showing me the many ropes of putting on a production. The theater already feels like a second home. I really had no idea how quickly I would grow to love the work that now has become one of the great passions of my life.

For me, once I become this passionate about something, I throw myself entirely into learning as much as I can as quickly as I can. Right now, I think I have every theater-related book in the library checked out. It was the same way when I started knitting, got interested in wine, and started growing and hybridizing Daylilies. Interestingly, though, passionate as I am about bicycling, I haven’t approached it with my usual modis operandi. One would think that I would know every part of my bike, be able to explain pros and cons of a steel or aluminum frame, and wax philosophic on the importance of cadence. But I don’t, can’t, and won’t. Though I read several bike blogs, you won’t see any technical bike books on my nightstand. I know enough to oil my chain, put air in my tires, and make small adjustments but that’s about it. Why? Because the simple, joyous, freeing, act of riding is really all that matters to me. There’s not much else I need to know. I’m sure that some of you are cringing and pulling your hair out at this admission, but I don’t ride off into the hinterlands and should, something happen, I have AAA and I can take my bike to the shop and adequately describe where an unusual noise has sprung up.

And now, a shameless plug for the upcoming play—”The Prisoner of Second Avenue” by Neil Simon, directed by Alan Peet. It opens Friday, September 27 and runs through Sunday, October 13. Check out the website for more details and get your tickets now! It’s one you won’t want to miss!